Don't Look Him in the Eyes
by The Akatsuki Wolf
Summary: There's one night a year when the demons and humans mix, when the Devil will dance with you. There's one rule this girl must remember though before she goes to her fate. Don't look at him in the eyes. Once you do, you're his. Amaya thinks she can handle anything, but she'd never met him before, and she knows she's lost this game.


**AUTHORESS: Amaya~Ikari**

**DATE WRITTEN: 10/26/12**

**TITLE: Don't Look Him in the Eyes**

**ANIME: Naruto**

**PAIRING: Hentai: ItachiXOC**

**STATUS: Oneshot: Completed. Maybe. Not sure. **

**RELATED STORIES: None**

**WARNINGS: Dark themes…maybe. AU.**

_~Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face~_

* * *

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you!" My mother scolded as she scrubbed at this morning's dishes, having been lecturing me about tonight. She could be talking to someone and doing three other things at the same time and manage to focus on all of them, but my mind wandered. Especially when I'd heard the same thing over and over, but I couldn't blame her. The "rules" that we had weren't really set rules, more like unspoken knowledge between everyone. And almost every day, children were reminded of these rules even though you couldn't go until you were sixteen, which I recently turned.

You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? Well, in my village (and most others that are built in or near the woods, I presume) when girls turn sixteen years of age, they become a part of the yearly Tsukihi, held on All Hallows Eve, when the full moon grants its power to us. Women stop going when they become mothers or turn a certain age, god if I remember how old though. I've hardly paid any attention to the unimportant things, but I know the "life or death" ones. Because Tsukihi isn't something we willingly participate in, it's a curse of sorts. There are other worldly beings that walk the very paths we humans do.

And we're not on exactly friendly terms, either. Some are good, some are bad, but most keep a median between the two. We keep our deal, they keep theirs. We send our women and sacrifices; you don't raid our village and kill anything in sight.

Seems fair, right?

Anyway, though we're all raised on these warnings and rules, hell they're practically beaten into us, there are always women that are taken that night. That's what the point of it is, to give them the women and they leave us in peace. Pray it isn't your kin, and then leave it be. The main rule? There's supposed to be this leader of theirs, my mother and the other elders call him the Devil. Kind of cliché, but maybe he really is. The main rule that people are practically begging their children to obey is the one that ensures your death.

Don't look him in the eye.

As soon as you do, it's over. He has you and you're never breaking free. I don't even know what happens, or what they do with who they take. I don't want to know, probably.

"Ouch!" I cried in surprise, my mother had hit me with her wooden spoon, a glare in her fiery emerald eyes. People say I mirror her eyes perfectly, same fire, same passion. "Amaya! You've not heard a thing I've said today!" Untrue, it's impossible not to hear her.

"I've listened, mom! It's all been drilled into my head since I was young!" I tried to keep a polite tone, god forbid you anger my mother. May your soul rest in peace if you do. She narrowed her eyes before roughly pulling me forward into a hug, I returned it whole heartedly. This was a rough time for everyone, and the daughters, sisters, wives of everyone were all spending time with their families. You never know who won't come back.

It's harder on those who have already lost.

My sister disappeared two Eve's ago, she was seventeen. I knew why my mother worried, but I would be fine, for god's sake! I knew what to do and what not to do. Some people even tried to make this like a festivity, which worked at times, but we all knew the darkness it masked. Throughout the day the new girls, like me, were seen around the village to listen to the words of our elders. We were made to look pretty, young, innocent.

Vulnerable.

I looked outside, there were only four other girls that were going to their first Tsukihi, like I was. Although, Tenten was nearing seventeen, she was born the day after All Hallows Eve. Sakura, Hinata, and Ino were sixteen months back. When I said I was recently sixteen, I meant _very_ recently. Today's my birthday. Some said that should bring me luck, others treated me like I was some sort of demoness. "Go on," my mother gave me a push towards the door. I gave her a smile as I left our small cottage, chuckling at her warning. "Back before six!" She had to get me ready for the night. I had a couple hours.

"Amaya!" I looked up to see Sakura running up to me from one direction, and Ino and Hinata coming from the other. I smiled as all four of us collided into a hug. You couldn't help but be close, when you were going into your first "sacrifice" as that crazy old man from down the street called it. "Jeez, you're too fast!" I jumped As Tenten playfully punched Sakura, having come up from nowhere. We're all a bit high strung, I'd seen women out holding their crosses to their lips and murmuring prayers. I doubted it would protect any of us.

As we started off down the street, I expected some weird things. People shouting prayers or protection chants from their home, even throwing holy water down on us. I thought it was strange, I wasn't really religious. I had moments, but I didn't believe God would stop any of this, no matter how we begged.

"Great, here comes Jiraiya…" Ino muttered, her arm linked with Hinata's and mine, Sakura was linked with my other arm and Tenten's. Now, Jiraiya was one of the oldest and wisest in our village, but he was…eccentric. "Ladies, off to say your goodbyes?" He meant no real harm with his words, so I took no offense, instead I offered a smirk. "Off to promise everyone that tomorrow we'll be causing just as much hell as usual." He burst out laughing, normally I would never curse in front of my superiors, but he and our village leader were exceptions. They just didn't care.

"Confidence, I like that." He chuckled, patting my head. "See you in the netherworld, hm?" His words held truth and warning. "Remember, don't look him in the eyes!" He called over his shoulder as he left. That would be permanently ingrained into my mind. I was yanked forward by Ino, we all laughed as we played something similar to follow the leader.

We ducked our heads as a pair of women walking by sprinkled water onto our heads, blessing us. It was nearing six when we came upon our village tower, our leader was supposedly working hard on this day, but we saw her loitering around with a bottle of something alcoholic in her hands. "Tsunade!" Sakura called to her grandmother, the woman turned to us. "What do you brats want?" She asked, but she smiled as she said it. "To say goodbye, as Jiraiya puts it." Ino rolled her eyes. Tsunade had never mothered children, but she was past that age where you didn't go to the Tsukihi anymore I suppose.

"Old bat." She muttered, raising her hand she touched each of our foreheads with a murmured chant in the ancient languages. To be blessed by your leader was said to be the ultimate protection, but even Tsunade thought it was bull. "Don't look him in the eyes, you hear me? All of you better be out tomorrow wreaking hell among the streets!" She ordered sternly. We smiled. "C-count on it Tsunade." Hinata smiled. I was worried about her, she was shy, she was easy to manipulate… But she was smart.

"Go on before your mothers come to sweep the streets for your scrawny asses." Tsunade muttered. We nodded our thanks before turning and racing off to our separate homes. We broke off from each other in different directions, promising to find each other later. My mother, whom I often had to remind myself was a survivor of the Tsukihi, waited by the door with open arms. She ushered me into our small bathroom where she scrubbed me raw and massaged some sort of sweet smelling stuff into my hair. By the time I was allowed out of the now freezing water it was nearing sunset.

"This red hair of yours," she tsked as she brushed my chin length locks straight. My hair matched the crimson roses she grew in the garden, her own hair was blonde. I didn't know my father, and she never spoke of him. Maybe he had red hair like I had.

She did nearly everything herself, like I was a young child that wasn't capable of taking care of herself. The dress she had me in was almost innocent, aside from the fact it was as black as coal. It fell to a inch above my knees, and flowed in the slightest breeze. It was child's play, it seemed. I turned to look up at her, startled when she had tears in her eyes. "You're so grown up." She murmured. I disagreed, I was still a child. I could hardly even cook breakfast without setting something on fire.

"Mom," I whispered, she enveloped me in a soft hug. We stayed embraced like this for what seemed like hours before she pulled back, brushing some of my hair behind my ear. "You know what to do?" She asked me. Perhaps you'd like to know more about these customs and, legends of ours.

So, you could call this something similar to a bonfire I guess. There are lit fires underneath the full moon that you dance by, you can talk to friends but my mother tells me that the weight of the demons and other beings make you feel paralyzed and you only focus on yourself. The girls go on, and she says that they just show up. They watch you, they'll talk amongst themselves in a language you will not understand, and they may get close to you. Don't show fear, don't talk to them, and don't look at them. She says when she was my age, a different man rose to claim the role of their leader, and a girl she had been close friends with looked up and she knew their eyes met.

The girl disappeared that night. No one seems to know whether they're lured from the fires, or if the demons come to get them during the night. I've heard nothing of it. I only know the people that mourn in the streets the day after. She told me, rather hesitantly mind you, that she thinks when the Devil meets your eyes he's stolen your soul. I grew wary of calling him such a name.

She looked out the window, biting her lip. I think she wished she could come with me, maybe to make sure I'd keep my damn head down at all times. She said no one helps anyone. I would, why wouldn't you help someone? Especially if they're your friends. She kissed my forehead, walking me out the door where I could see other women walking away from the safety of their homes into the night. I think most of these beings were either Vampires or Wolves, not actual demons, but one or two demonic creatures may well roam through here. "Don't you dare look at him in the eye, you understand?" She demanded harshly. I nodded, knowing she only wanted me to be safe. She let me go then, pursing her lips in that way she did when she was unhappy.

I felt someone clasp my hand as I walked down the road, not turning back. I shot a glance to the side, seeing Hinata's timid expression I squeezed her hand. She smiled softly. Neither of us looked while slowly, Sakura, Ino, and Tenten joined us. The older women shot us wary and concerned looks, lips moving in prayer. Did they pray through this entire thing?

I saw the light of the fire as we followed the experienced women into the heart of the woods. Flames reached out at the sky from varying fires, one in the middle was the largest. I swallowed as I glanced around, following the other's leads. Some looked at the ground or fire, some whispered to each other, a few danced. I inhaled slowly as I looked over at Ino and Sakura, who took each other's hands and danced almost playfully by one of the fires, though anxiety was clear in their eyes. They both had been best friends for many years, despite sometimes rivaling each other.

Tenten wandered off to stand close to some of the older girls that pretended to watch the fire. I couldn't do that, I hated staying still. Hinata and I chose to stand near the middle fire, where not many people seemed to be… I noticed one older woman shake her head as though she felt bad for something.

"Just look down." I told the raven haired girl. She nodded, and slowly we copied the other women's movements, swaying our hips and moving to inaudible music. The fire danced in our eyes as I watched Hinata dance. I wondered if I danced as good as she seemed to. The women seemed to range between early thirties to the few new girls here like me. I continued to move to the rhythm everyone else seemed to have in their heads for a bit until this gut wrenching feeling overcame me.

_Oh my god._

It felt like my breath got stuck in my throat, an overpowering sense of something watching me bore down on me like a suffocating blanket. I knew my eyes widened and my heart began to beat fast, but I'll be damned if I didn't go home to my mother tonight. I forced myself to look at the fire, glaring with intensity as I chanted inside my mind to not look up.

I felt Hinata tense beside me, and some of the women faltered in their dances, and I knew I wasn't the only one to sense it.

They were here.

With vehement determination I kept my eyes towards the ground, shivering as I could see the netherworld beings make their way around us. Some seemed to move with us, others stood still as though watching us. I swallowed around the lump in my throat, my body moving on its own accord to the unheard music while my mind desperately told me not to look at anyone.

Hinata was having the same trouble I was, she was biting her lip hard and her hands were clenched.

Someone moved behind me, my heartbeat increased quickly and my mouth went dry. Hinata flinched, and I noticed her head start to look up. He was intimidating her so she would give up. "Hinata, don't!" I hissed, stepping closer to her as if to protect her. "Just look down!" She whimpered, jerking to stare back down at the earth. I shivered in aversion when a deep growl of anger echoed.

Fine, be mad. You still can't do anything. Why would no one help their friends, especially when they were just inches apart? I breathe a little easier as I remained looking down, noticing another woman coming beside us. She didn't make it obvious, but when she took Hinata's arm I very nearly yanked her back. The raven haired girl shot me a questioning look as the older women circled more around me. I got a sinking feeling.

Someone else moved along the fire, my eyes focused on him. He was one of them. He seemed to move with me, I shivered as I felt his eyes bore straight into me. I couldn't resist, my heartbeat started racing and my breathing turned erratic. And I made the worst mistake of my life. My head lifted up.

I looked at him in the eyes.

His cold, blood red eyes met mine, and as soon as I realized my mistake it was too late. Time froze and everyone else disappeared besides the Devil, me, and this blazing fire separating us. A smirk spread across his face and the fire glinted off his midnight black hair. My heart stopped beating, my mind telling me I'd deeply screwed up. Everything in me told me I'd sealed my own fate to the very Devil everyone, for my entire life, had warned me about.

I blinked, and when I looked back at him he was gone. I whirled around to try to find him, but he wasn't there. The women had stopped their movement. I thought women were supposed to be taken, but I was still here… "Go home! Hurry!" The elder women shouted at us, rushing all of the younger girls towards their homes. I took longer to pick up my pace, the darkened forest path made me wary, my already hazy mind not making sense of any of it. How could you get lost in the forest you had known all your life? I panted for air as I tried to find my way out of the dim patchwork woods, leaning against a tree. Calm down, and maybe you can make sense of it.

"It's dangerous for a young woman to be out here alone." A deep, hypnotic voice spoke. I gasped in horror as I looked up, locking gazes with those red, red eyes. I took in his features more carefully, he didn't look so demonic. He looked like a normal young man, his skin was pale and he had long raven hair that he kept tied back. He had strange birthmarks beneath his eyes, and there's what gave him away. The eyes. They had strange black markings, and were filled with a vicious wisdom and hunger you would find in no human.

"Get away from me!" I cried, frankly in an attempt to seem like I wasn't a pathetic girl that would just give in like this. I knew I was done. He chuckled, stepping closer to me, and I had nowhere to go. I looked up at him, tense and desperately wanting to strike out.

"Tell me your name." He said in that silky voice of his. I found myself being drawn in- _No_ damn it! "Why do you want my name before you kill me?" I said, voice sounding far more sardonic than I had wished for it to. He smirked. "Brazen woman, aren't you." He murmured, tilting my chin up. This was wrong, it wasn't how I thought this was supposed to go. My mind threw a childish and uncomforting thought at me. Don't play with your food.

"Amaya." I whispered, eyes narrowing. I hadn't meant to say my name, what had happened? Why was I so spellbound? Was this that "temptation, the Devil will lead you into!" My mother spoke of? His smirk changed into a mildly less frightening smile. "I suppose you have a name for me." He said. I pursed my lips. "It's a title, not a name, I would guess."

_Damn_ it brain quit being a smartass!

He chuckled again, sending shivers down my spine. "Then my name, is Itachi." He told me. A name almost made him less menacing. He didn't seem like the monster people made him out to be… I flinched when he reached out, merely brushing my hair from my eyes. "You know what you've done tonight." He said, tone not questioning or mocking. I bit my lip. My mother would have no one when she awoke in the morning.

"Come here," he said in an alluring voice. I cursed internally as he pulled me flush against him, pressing my hands on his chest so I could keep some measure of distance between us. "I'll make you a deal." He purred, eyes staring straight into mine. "Each full moon, I will meet you. In return, you stay safe here." I blinked in surprise, mouth falling open slightly. What? "What…do you want on those nights?" A dark smirk crossed his lips and he leaned down, kissing me.

_You are not supposed to do this._

_**You**__ are not supposed to like that._

I clutched at his shirt in surprise, immediately when our lips connected a shock went through me. He pulled back with a glint in his eyes. "I believe you know." Was I selling my body to remain here? Or my soul if I went with him?

"Deal." I whispered without thinking, shuddering as he chuckled. His unusual eyes spun and I felt myself grow faint. There was only one thing that kept repeating in my mind.

I had just made a deal with the Devil.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Idea spawned at 3:00 am. Creepy and dark night filled with strange noises and Slenderman. I had no idea where I was going to go with this story so I just winged the fuck out of it. *gasp* No sex! Shocker. Also, I guess this counts as my Halloween fic contribution… ALSO will be mistakes. I go through and catch them, but I'm not…awake right now so I probably missed some. Go ahead and point that shit out and yell at me for it. **

**Now, I wonder, if anyone might have figured out this was kind of based off of Dance With the Devil by Breaking Benjamin. Because it literally all started when I got the lyrics stuck in my head and I envisioned a scene, and had to write it out.**

**I knew Itachi would be in this, there was no question since he was who I had pictured in my little scene. My trouble started with trying to figure out whom to pair with him. I thought about Sasuke, but it didn't match up with what I wanted to do since I'd have to change too much. I liked the thought of Neji, but I kind of wanted this to be a hentai, so alas. It was down to Sakura or My OC and frankly Sakura didn't…interest me tonight. So while it may have taken down the "awesomeness" of the story you're getting my OC and you're gonna appreciate her. I know how cheesy/shitty this fic is, but I kind of gave thought to turning it into a multichapter story, adding another part, or adding alternate ending. I cannot decide what to do with this damn thing.**

**Tsukihi will translate to moon fires. **

** images/search?q=black+dress&view=detail&id=F4AFC8A5C8BD0F638A8C4D929C47 986529035495&first=107 this is a dress I happened upon that actually looks like what I pictured her wearing….**


End file.
